Lung checks to Queensland’s former and present quarry and mine workers will be provided by a prime mover health truck that will roll through regional areas by the end of the year.
The Queensland Government has introduced a health truck that will visit the state’s rural and regional areas to provide lung health checks to mine and quarry workers.
With the truck hitting Queenland’s roads by the end of 2020, it is expected to cover more than 50,000km annually and will provide screening services that will support the early detection and avoidance of diseases such as black lung and silicosis.
According to Assistant State Development Minister and Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert, Heart of Australia has received the contract to design, build and operate the service.
“This mobile screening service will be taking important testing to quarry workers and miners where they live and work to support the early detection and prevention of mine dust lung diseases like black lung and silicosis,” Gilbert said.
“The 25m two-trailer truck is projected to clock about 50,000km annually, delivering chest X-rays and respiratory checks.
“The exact routes and schedule are being planned to work with existing services but will likely include the coal fields across the Bowen and Surat Basins, the North West Minerals Province, and the opal and gem fields in the west and south-west of the state.
“The mobile service will complement existing health facilities already available to current and former workers across the state.”
Heart of Australia has previously supported rural and remote communities in Queensland through custom-designed trucks that provide specialist medical service clinics.
The new truck will provide full health assessments, according to Heart of Australia’s founder Rolf Gomes.
“When you step on board the new mobile clinic you will find a range of sophisticated equipment similar to what you would find in a respiratory practice in the city,” Gomes said.
“There will be the capacity to conduct full health assessments for current and former mine workers, including chest X-ray screenings, as well as follow-up investigations like high resolution computed tomography and complex lung function testing where required. Depending on what service is needed in each region, staff required to operate the service could include doctors, nurses, radiographers, and, of course, a truck driver.”
Additional health services including respiratory and hearing protection fit testing will also be provided under the service.
To learn more about Heart of Australia’s services, visit heartofaustralia.com